Earlier tonight at UFC Abu Dhabi, Rizvan Kuniev locked horns with Tyrell Fortune, and the Russian fighter found his range right away as the three-round heavyweight contest began.
He pressed on the gas, nearly stunning Fortune a couple of times and dictating the pace for most of the round. Rizvan Kuniev pressed the American fighter against the fence and opened a cut beside Fortune’s eye with a devastating right hook. Fortune also landed a couple of big blows but failed to do any significant damage.
Round 2 was all Kuniev, finding every opening and doing most of the damage with his knees, double uppercuts, and elbows. He completely dismantled Fortune’s body and face. However, Fortune managed to land a shot or two now and then, forcing the Russian fighter to respect his power.
The 36-year-old survived despite taking a ton of damage, and by the end of Round 2, both of the 265-pounders appeared gassed out.
As Fortune went to his corner, he informed them that he may have broken his rib. However, instead of stopping the bout, they encouraged him to go all out for the last 5 minutes to get his hand raised at UFC Abu Dhabi.
In Round 3, the American fighter did find success early on the feet, but after momentary success, it was all Kuniev, who took charge with back-to-back body shots, knees, and punches to the head to drop Fortune. This time, the ref had seen enough, and as Fortune covered up, he saved the latter from absorbing further punishment by stepping in and stopping the bout.
Official decision: Rizvan Kuniev defeated Tyrell Fortune via TKO in Round 3 (1:12) at UFC Abu Dhabi.
UFC Abu Dhabi: Rizvan Kuniev vs. Tyrell Fortune: Highlights
